“Let me tell you something, Daph... I’m ready to sit it down. I didn’t get into this business because I just love home renovations or that I am any kind of domestic darling. I’m not someone who started for the financial security, but stayed for the fun of it. I saw an opportunity to make a decent living, but not a lifetime career. In twenty years, what I’ve managed to earn, invest, and save is impressive but it’s more than enough for me to retire far earlier than I ever imagined. I put a lot on hold to just finally have what my parent’s never cared to encourage me to want. I didn’t get married, because I know my focus and dedication to myself. I’m unapologetically selfish, but I have enough of a heart to not force someone to put up with always being second place in my life. I have no children for the same reason.”
She thought back to all the many relationships she’d begin, then let just fall to the wayside. It was never she never loved anyone. In her mind, she loved them enough to let them not get dragged under the tide of her emotions, and goal driven tunnel vision.
“It’s almost funny, people think of me as this cold, heartless, cutthroat villain, but I am more gracious than most. In twenty years I’ve only let go of one employee, and that was an accountant I found out was stealing from me. Embezzling right under my nose. Outside of that, I believe in giving people chances. Maybe, because I was given a chance by an employer once when I had no work experience at all, and it made me realize everyone needs that one chance.”
She looked to Daphne, who was now staring out the passenger window at standstill vehicles all around, all stuck in the downpour alongside them.
“It’s the reason you’re not my first inexperienced assistant. I don’t look at credentials and resumes when I give people that chance to do more. I look at the fact they want to do more at all. Very few do.”
Her eyes went back the window shield. Using the built Bluetooth voice command feature in her Audi, she told it to dial the office. Coincidentally, Chris, who Angela had mentioned was the shoddiest of her agents, was the one who answered the phone. She immediately wanted to know what he was doing there at the office, and not at the Ipswich address trying to make that sell.
He gave her a runaround explanation, claiming inclement weather had disrupted the plans to meet with a buyer, so the buyer canceled. Angela knew this was highly unlikely, considering he was one of the first faces she saw staring back her earlier, bug-eyed and nervous when she made her exit from the office for lunch.
She wondered then why he was still there, but figured she address it with him later close to end of business.
“I called to inform everyone to go ahead, leave for the day, we’ll open at regular hours tomorrow. Normally, I would be having Daphne address this with everyone, but she and I are both stuck in traffic, at the moment. Let everyone know I’ve given expressed instructions to head home while the weather isn’t as bad as it could get, and I’ll send a message to my accountant, Riley, to meet you to lock up. This weather is getting nasty and I’d rather miss the last two hours of business than for myself and anyone there to not make it home safe this evening.”
Chris gave her a big “10-4, boss lady,” before hanging up. Daphne found it surprising that she actually seemed to be concerned for the safety of her staff, but more surprising that she didn’t mention whether she was taking Daphne home, or even asking her where home was for Daphne. Not that she was concerned about any wrong doing happening to her in Angela’s hands, but she was certainly wondering was this how her boss always handled situations, by grabbing the reins and just going.
Seems she wasn’t going to get to know whether that was the case, since the agency will be no more by year’s end. For the first time, she was discouraged a wish she had made was promptly granted. She had gone on this lunch date not wanting to know more beyond what she had seen of Angela as an employer, and fate saw fit to make it so. Yet, she was now oddly hoping there would be more opportunities to know who Angela was outside the staunch high end suits, and defensive bravado.
“Where do you live?” Simple enough question, that Daphne was more than happy to answer as the traffic picked back up. This day had zapped her energy and enthusiasm for doing much else, and all she wanted was to be her in own space. After some much needed contemplation and rest, she’d press reset on her day tomorrow. Reaching in her purse again for her phone, she quickly pulled up her address on the GPS app, and leaned over to give Angela a glance.
“Okay, first things first, I need to stop by my home and take care of things if that’s alright.” Daphne agreed.
As far as she was concerned a minor detour was worth the wait if it meant eventually getting back to her own safe haven apartment.
Twenty minutes driving, and a few trips through middle class suburbs landed them in a much more affluent area Daphne hadn’t been to before. The houses seemed monstrous in comparison to those they had passed just minutes before, and especially to the cramped surrounding of living near or in the city. Lawns of pristine emerald green. Professionally landscaping. It was the upper crust dwelling place she assumed; the type of life she assumed she may never attain for herself any time soon.
They made a few turns through the high end neighborhood, until they pulled up to a home that looked more like a modest sized castle. Angela had pulled down the driver side visor to press the button on a device clipped just at its edge. The iron gate in front of them slowly opened, allowing entrance into what Daphne was quickly referring to in her mind as the “queen’s abode”. If the expanse of the front lawn and strategically placed ornamental landscaping wasn’t grand enough, she found herself smoothly rolling over a cobblestone type driveway.
Angela pressed again on the remote device as they neared the massive car garage. Nothing happened. The door didn’t lift, welcoming them and the car out of the rain.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Angela voiced, sounding more annoyed than angry.
This day had been a long one for her, too. Before they’re time at Le Parachute, they had been stuck in her office analyzing, re-analyzing, calling, and doing more in this day than in any other to track the week’s business, its successes and its failures.
“Fine. It’s a good walk to the front entrance, but it’s still us getting in doors either way.” She killed the car engine, and began unbuckling her seatbelt. ‘Looks like we’re getting wet after all.”
The storm was raging by this point. Obviously, staying in the car was not an option, so they both agreed to get out and make a dash up to the double doors. At least there was a covered area up there, but Daphne knew they were going to get soaked on the way. They swung open the doors, and rushed up the walkway to the front doors. There were a set of steps to traverse, but only a few short leaps got them to the top, and Angela unlocking the right door.
Once inside, Daphne finally made an assessment of how wet they had gotten. You would think they had just jumped in a pool fully clothed for the amount of water around their feet. Angela quickly removed her black mini blazer as she made her way across the open foyer, and for the first time Daphne truly watched Angela. This time not paying so much attention to her ways, but her overall self. She knew she was in shape but hadn’t ever paid so much attention as she had now to what fantastic shape she was in.
For someone she had never known to go to gym, her supervisor was sleek, toned. Her red top she wore under her blazer even clung to her from the soaking of the storm, revealing breasts that were not enough to garner crude pick-up lines at the local bar, but definitely enough to draw your eye there, and keep it there. She watched her saunter to a set of iron hooks on the wall where a forgotten umbrella was hanging. That definitely would have come in handy today.
Her legs were long dancer’s legs, and the heels she wore today with the black couture slacks made them all the more fascinating to watch with every move. Daphne realized she was practically staring, and attempted to busy herself. The sound of her fidgety drew Angela’s attention enough to turn around.
“Oh, yeah. T
here’s a bathroom down here on the main floor. It’s right over here. I can put your clothes in the dryer and definitely get you a towel to dry with and a robe ‘til the clothes are dry.”
She began walking to the left of the foyer through an entryway. The walked through a beautiful designed formally dining room, into a rectangle shaped room Daphne could easily tell was a living space or lounge that had a door just at the far wall. Angel opened the door and there was a master suite nearly the size of her whole apartment.
“Is this your room,” she asked as she looked at the size of the space and how well it was decorated.
“Oh no ma’am,” she answered with a slight chuckle. “The queen’s suite is upstairs. This is just the downstairs guest room. I don’t get to show it off often, but when I do it’s always treat for who steps in.”
Daphne admired the almost gothic touches in the room. A four poster bed made of what was cherry wood or mahogany, and a matching hand carved linen trunk was under the adjacent picture window. Black heavy curtains of velvet surrounded it, which was in stark contrast to light stone looking tile. European rugs were placed on either side of the bed, with ornate hues of red, black, and burnt orange.
The walls were a fabric of a Rococo style black and white pattern. The whole room had a feel about that was inviting, but quietly opulent. “And here you go,” Angela stated, switching on the light in the bathroom to reveal an equally stylish setting, but in earth tones with natural tile and glass elements all round, from the shower itself, to the marble countertop. Before Daphne could gather her thoughts enough to ask about the towel and robe the was the sound of a phone. It was in another room, and Angela rushed off to answer it, letting her drenched apprentice know she’ll be back with that towel and robe “in a sec.”
Daphne figured while she waited she might as well start taking off the clothes that were now making her ridiculously cold. She shut the door, but not before hearing Angela ask someone had they locked up. Her voice soon trailed off. Daphne figured she must have headed up stairs to change into dry clothes also.
She was wondering what kind of underwear she must wear under her clothes, then was surprised at her own curiosity. In this one week she had learned so much about Angela, her mind was dancing with all these thoughts of what any of likes and dislikes must be. What makes her tick? What gives her the blues? What...turns her on? Such intimate things, but things to Daphne that were worth the knowing. By now she had removed her blouse, bra, and was working on her wet pin stripped slacks. She had to sit on the edge of the claw foot tub that was too the far wall, and hope she could keep her balance.
It was effective enough. Rolling down one leg, then the other she was glad to feel the cool air of the bathroom on her skin, but definitely need a towel for her hair. She stood, crossing her arms over her breasts, and began looking around to see if there were any towel nearby. It was a bathroom after all. None were on the aged bronze towel rack near the shower. Seeing a mahogany chifferobe in the opposite wall, she opened both doors; no towel there either.
Who in the hell has a bathroom with no towels in it? Her mind answered its own question, and she reminded herself this was the guest bathroom. Maybe, Angela only put linens in here when she knew there would be guests staying. Daphne let out an exacerbated sigh. As nice as the air on her skin was a few minutes ago, it was now causing goosebumps to rise across her skin. She wanted to dry, but not air day. Growing agitated, she walked to the bathroom door and called for Angela.
If she couldn’t get a towel, she definitely was wondering where the robe was she had been offered. She opened the door a little further, peeking into the large guest room.
“Angela?” Still no answer, and the guest room door was open so surely if Angela had returned downstairs she should be able to hear her.
“Hello.” Still no reply.
The now thoroughly cold young woman stepped out, her frustration building. Did she go get cozy upstairs and just forget I was here?! All she could picture was Angela going upstairs to what must certainly be a “queen suite” the size of a whole extra house; her luxuriating in some plush robe and matching slippers, concerned about her own comfort and completely forgetting someone else was in her fortress of solitude.
“Angela, are you still down here?”
She began stepping out the room, and crossed her arms once again over her breasts for warmth. The rain was still pounding and pouring outside, and for a moment Daphne had an even bigger chill. Horror movies and suspense thrillers happen like this! Stupid damsel gets left in huge house half naked, calling for the person she trusted to come help her or give her answers, then BAM! Now, she was having a mix of anger and fear.
She quickly started walking across the room, quickly approaching the four poster bed, and passing by it. She was nearly to the door, her feet moving one right behind the other in a panicked pace, her arms crossing all the tighter over her chest. Immediately turning the corner around the left end post of the bed she nearly speed walked right into Angela. She let out a high yelping but short scream. The towels and robe that were in Angela’s arms hit the floor.
“Holy shit! Why are you yelling and whe’…” Angela’s words died.
She saw rosy nipples on a heaving chest, rising and falling with welcoming rigid points. But most startling was the boldness with which Daphne just stood there, with no sense of shame. Her arms were now uncrossed and on her hips in a stance of aggravation. Angela glanced at the white lace panties that seemed as dainty as the young woman that wore them. They suited her, Angela thought. At that moment, she realized she had a naked employee in her house! In front of her. Whoa! We need to fix this situation, A.S.A.P she thought, as she quickly bent to pick up the towel and robe.
Hurried and red faced, with a mixture of arousal and embarrassment she didn’t even look when she practically shoved the white cotton items directly into Daphne’s face. “Wha..! What the hell?! Wait just a second!” But Angela wasn’t waiting a second. She turned around and was making a hurried walk through the formal dining room. She didn’t make it very far before feeling a tight grip around her left wrist. She hadn’t had any grab her like that since she was sixteen, and she immediately spun. What was initially just embarrassment, was now full frustration.
Daphne saw the equally angry look on Angela’s face when she turned back and around.
“Look, sorry I grabbed you,” she said as she let go, but she didn’t lower her volume. “First of all, I was coming to see where you were because I was naked, and cold and freezing. You didn’t even come back for me to give you my clothes to go in the dryer!”
She now stood in the doorway of the bedroom, one hand on her hip, the other down by her side leaving Angela no choice but to get the full view of her nudity. Angela took a deep breath because now she was more than frustrated, she was pissed.
“That call was more important than your freezing ass! We sold the Ipswich house, and I had to open emails and print things, and sign things and then fax them. I wasn’t thinking about your wet and frail ass!” Which wasn’t true at all. She had in fact been thinking.
Nearly fantasizing about actually walking back in on Daphne. But definitely not like this.
“Great,” Daphne snapped, “that’s just great for you and your retirement, but you didn’t have to throw the damn things at me just now! What?! Did I disrupt your celebratory glass of whatever the hell expensive crap you like to sip on? Sorry, I’m a human being who doesn’t like being naked and cold for fun!”
Angela stepped closer to Daphne, nostrils flaring. “That’s not why I threw them, for God sake you’re standing in my damn house naked! That doesn’t bother you just being naked in front of your boss, little ‘Mrs. Sunshine?”
“You have a problem with tits and ass, Angela?!” Daphne realized she was nearly yelling, and couldn’t explain where all her fury was coming from. Perhaps, it was latent anger at finding out she was going to unemployed in two months, or slight jealousy at seeing all the beautiful things Angela
had that she was willing to just walk away from to go lay up on a beach in St. Croix. Either way, she was now looking into a set of deep green eyes, unflinching and unmoving. What followed immediately after was what she couldn’t have seen coming. A kiss.
Angela just wanted to shut her up. She pressed her mouth into Daphne’s. This was probably the single most foolish thing she’d ever done, but it was the rush of emotions. The anger. The desire that had been building all week. All the two years she had to watch Daphne dance around her business. She envied her joy. She wasn’t annoyed by it in the least. With her interests in anyone, she had always decided to play it “close to the vest”.
The cold disinterest was simply a front. A good one, considering her professional career could be at stake if it was known she fraternized with any of her staff. So, she never mixed business and pleasure. But damn the professionalism right now. She had her last property in the bank, and shutting down shop on Briar Homes Real Estate could get underway.
Jack (Secret Revenge #1) Page 29